1. Field
The disclosure relates to a method, system, and article of manufacture for the selection of data mover for data transfer.
2. Background
A storage management server may provide a repository for data objects that are backed up, archived, or migrated from client nodes in a computer network. The storage management server may store data objects in one or more storage pools and may use a database for tracking information about the stored data objects. After data objects have been stored, the storage management server may copy or move the objects within the same storage pool or to other pools.
Data transfer operations may be performed directly by the storage management server, wherein the storage management server stores, retrieves, moves, or copies data objects, depending on the desired operation. Data transfer operations may also be performed by using external data movers that are located outside the storage management server, and such data transfer operations performed by using external data movers may be referred to as outboard data transfer. In certain situations, it may be necessary or desirable for data transfer operations to be performed by using such external data movers. For example, in certain situations, the storage management server may not be able to directly access the storage devices and data objects stored thereon, and may depend on the external data movers for data transfer operations. In other situations, it may be desirable to off-load data transfer operations from the storage management server to the external data movers to reduce the processing load on the storage management server.